FOR a man who was often fond of highlighting the 'young, inexperienced' nature of Nottingham Forest's squad, Billy Davies was not one for giving young players an opportunity.

That young squad, in fact, had an average age of almost 27, when they made the journey to Swansea, for the Championship play-off semi-final.

And, under Davies' tenure, few players made the transition from talented youngster to first-team regular.

Brendan Moloney, regarded by many as one of the brightest emerging talents at the club, was only ever called upon in moments of crisis; when injury or suspension provided Davies with little other option.

And even Lewis McGugan, arguably the most talented man at the club, was only given his chance after Davies opted to tinker with his side for a midweek game at Preston, as the Scot looked to juggle his side for a demanding run of fixtures.

The end result was a solo display from McGugan that saw him score twice to help Forest to a landmark away win and ensure that he could no longer be overlooked.

Towards the end of the season, Jamaal Lascelles – whose burgeoning displays in the academy and reserve sides had suggested he was a player with great promise – was drafted in to train alongside the senior squad.

One staff member joked that Davies would have to be introduced, because he would not know what the young defender looked like 'if he walked into him'.

Under Steve McClaren, it will, you suspect, be a different story.

At Middlesbrough, McClaren may have spent significant amounts of money in the transfer market, but he also forged a reputation for developing young talent.

And that is a path he is keen to take at Forest, with the new Reds boss already planning to employ a development coach, to oversee the careers of the 18 to 21-year-olds who are too old to continue playing for the academy sides.

At the same time, McGugan will be installed as a fulcrum of the Forest side; the player that they build the rest of the team around.

And, under the former England boss, the rest of the club's emerging young talent will be carefully nurtured and given the opportunity to prove themselves on the bigger stage.

"It can be very difficult to give young players their chance when the first team are pushing to get promoted," said chief executive Mark Arthur.

"It is very easy to bring talent through, if you are a mid-table team. You can throw one or two in and it does not really matter.

"There is no risk in seeing if they sink or swim.

"If you are challenging at the same time to get promotion to the Premier League, will you risk a young player or will you stick with somebody who has been there or done it?

"It is important that these players are not allowed to lose their way and that, when they are introduced to the first team, they are a little bit more street-wise.

"Steve will bring in a development coach, to act as a conduit between the youth team and the first team.

"Our goal is to find a way to bring these players through; to help them fulfil their potential."

This role used to be filled by John Pemberton, who took charge of a youthful, successful Forest reserve side, prior to his departure shortly after Davies' appointment at the City Ground in January 2009.

The club hope to find somebody who can reprise his good work and ensure the likes of Lascelles and co are given the best possible chance to succeed.

"We are looking at the 18 to 21 age group," said Arthur.

"When players finish with the youth team, they are often not given enough time to develop physically and mentally.

"We have seen that with several players in recent times.

"They reach 18 or 19 and they have not had time to develop enough to challenge for the first team.

"We want to have a development squad in place for 18 to 21-year-old players.

"They will ideally be the ones playing a lot in the reserves, in behind-closed-doors friendlies and such like.

"We are very mindful, as a club, of what we have coming through the system.

"We have players who have played for England at U16 level and, even, beyond that we have a good crop of U15 players.

"Steve is very aware of that. He will embrace that.

"He does not want to run the academy but he wants to be aware of what is coming through.

"When he is signing players or looking at giving players new contracts, he will be very mindful of what we have coming through for the future, over the next two, three or four years.

"That is the responsibility of a really good manager; of somebody who is aware of the bigger picture at a football club."